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Fur company helps Cincinnati Zoo baby adapt

The Cincinnati Zoo's baby gorilla could have an easier time adapting to zoo workers in the nursery now that they are wearing more realistic fur vests and coats.

Donna Salyers' Fabulous Furs is providing faux fur vests and coats designed to make zoo handlers more realistic surrogates for baby Gladys. The tiny gorilla will learn to hang on to the furry outfits while in the nursery.

The Zoo says, "Vests are incredibly important to Gladys' gorilla-fication."

Primate Team Leader Ron Evans says it's important for Gladys to have good hand holds so she sticks to the vests like Velcro.

Evenas the baby gorilla arrived in Cincinnativolunteers stepped up to create some simple vests for surrogates to wear so they would look like gorillas. When Fabulous Furs heard about the need it offered to create the functional, furry, gorilla-like outerwear.

Eventually Gladys will be transferred to the gorilla exhibit where one of two surrogate gorilla moms will take over her care. Gladys' mom abandoned her while at a Texas zoo. She is here as part of a breeding loan transfer.

http://youtu.be/9_0lWKxxCjc

Ann Thompson has decades of journalism experience in the Greater Cincinnati market and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting.